Content
- 1 Is it possible to eat decorative honeysuckle berries?
- 2 How to distinguish decorative honeysuckle from edible one
- 3 Varieties of decorative honeysuckle with photos and names
- 4 Decorative honeysuckle in landscape design
- 5 Winter hardiness of decorative honeysuckle
- 6 Planting and caring for decorative honeysuckle
- 7 Reproduction
- 8 Diseases and pests
- 9 Conclusion
- 10 Reviews of decorative honeysuckle
It is difficult to imagine a modern garden without well-groomed, neatly trimmed or abundantly flowering shrubs. Thanks to constant breeding work, the number of such plant species increases every year. Among them there is also decorative honeysuckle - an unpretentious garden shrub that grows well in almost all climatic zones of Russia.
Is it possible to eat decorative honeysuckle berries?
All decorative honeysuckle is inedible. Moreover, eating its fruits can lead to serious poisoning.The main purpose of such species is not to obtain a harvest of berries, but to decorate a personal plot. Decorative honeysuckle is used to create hedges and various architectural elements of the garden; climbing varieties are used for vertical gardening of arches, columns, building facades or trellises.
In the garden, decorative honeysuckle can be used for various purposes.
These plants retain their attractive appearance for a long time due to their rich green color and abundant flowering. After the fruits ripen, the bright berries remain on the branches for a long time, and the foliage itself acquires a yellow or red color.
How to distinguish decorative honeysuckle from edible one
Honeysuckle has more than 200 different species, some of which are edible and some not. The easiest way to distinguish them is by the shape of the berries. In edible varieties they are dark blue or purple, with a bluish waxy coating, elongated-oblong or spindle-shaped. Inedible varieties of ornamental honeysuckle produce round or oval berries that are red, orange, or black. This perennial has one more feature. All edible varieties of this plant are bush varieties, but inedible ones can grow not only as a bush, but also as a vine.
Varieties of decorative honeysuckle with photos and names
All varieties of decorative honeysuckle can be divided into 2 types:
- shrubby;
- climbing (vines).
Each of these groups includes quite a few different varieties, so the landscape designer always has a choice.
Shrub decorative honeysuckle
This group includes varieties of honeysuckle that have the shape of a bush. Dwarf forms of this type are used to decorate alpine hills and low borders; larger plants are used to create hedges; they are planted as independent elements in group and single plantings.
Alpine
Alpine honeysuckle is a low (up to 1 m) rounded shrub with a spreading crown. The leaves are small, dense, bright green. Flowering is abundant, begins in May and lasts about 3 weeks. The flowers are yellow, devoid of fragrance.
Abundant flowering is replaced by equally intense fruiting
By September, the bush is covered with dark red berries the size of cherries. Alpine honeysuckle is extremely unpretentious to grow and is resistant to diseases and pests.
Golden
Golden honeysuckle grows much higher; the bush of this plant can reach 4 m in height. It is spreading, consists of many strong shoots of light brown color. The leaves are large, dense, oval-elongated, with a pointed tip, and can grow up to 12 cm in length.
Golden honeysuckle flowers have a subtle pleasant aroma
At the end of May, many large yellow flowers with a subtle pleasant aroma appear on the bush. Flowering lasts about 2 weeks. At the end of August, round red berries ripen in place of the flowers.
Maaka
This type of decorative honeysuckle grows as a spreading bush up to 5 m tall. This shrub looks very impressive due to the dense foliage of the shoots. This gives the crown significant density. Maak honeysuckle is especially beautiful during flowering, when it produces a large number of large snow-white flowers with a wonderful aroma.
Maaka is more suitable for warm regions
At the end of summer, a large number of purple-red berries ripen on the bush, which last a long time and do not fall off even with the arrival of frost.
Maksimovich
Maksimovich's honeysuckle is considered one of the best shrubs for creating hedges. This species grows in dense, heavily leafy bushes up to 2 m high. In early June, many purple-lilac flowers appear on them, and by autumn, bright red large ovoid-shaped berries ripen in their place, fused at the base and slightly reminiscent of a heart.
The fused fruits resemble a heart
Maksimovich's honeysuckle tolerates pruning well, it is unpretentious, undemanding in care and resistant to diseases and pests.
Bedspread
Bushes of this type of decorative honeysuckle grow up to 3 m in height. The shoots of this shrub are densely covered with dark blue foliage, on which, during flowering, numerous bright yellow flowers with a lemon tint stand out. They subsequently acquire a rich purple color.
Shiny black berries against a background of red flowers look very impressive
After flowering, black shiny berries ripen in pairs inside the bracts, giving the bushes a special decorative appearance.
Tatar
This is a type of bush decorative honeysuckle, which includes such varieties as Krupnotsvetkovaya, Sibirskaya, Alba and others. All of them are spreading shrubs with a lush crown, they can grow up to 4 m in height. They bloom in early summer with very beautiful white-pink paired flowers, in place of which red or orange berries appear at the end of summer.
Two-color flowers of the Tatar variety give the bush a special attractiveness
Tatarian honeysuckle flowers have a delicate, pleasant aroma. The flowering period of this shrub can last about 3 weeks.
Curly decorative honeysuckle
A climbing variety of decorative honeysuckle is used in landscape design as an entwining plant for vertical gardening of various architectural objects. Here are several species of this perennial, often found in garden plots.
Honeysuckle
This plant forms thin red-brown vines, the length of which can reach up to 6 m. Thanks to this, honeysuckle perfectly entwines any support, arch or trellis. Single leaves of this plant have the ability to grow together, making the shoot look like it is passing through the leaf plate.
Honeysuckle is a common type of climbing decorative honeysuckle.
Honeysuckle flowers form at the tips of the shoots. They have different colors: red, white, pink, yellow, orange. Each flower lives for about 3 days; the full flowering cycle of this decorative honeysuckle takes about 3 weeks.
Brown
Brown's honeysuckle is one of the most beautiful climbing species of this plant. Its vines grow up to 3 m in length, which is less than that of honeysuckle. The leaves of the plant are dense and grow together in pairs at the end of the shoot. Flowering of Brown's honeysuckle begins in the second half of June and lasts about 2 weeks.
The long tubular corolla distinguishes the Brown variety from other species
Bell-shaped, red-orange flowers with a long tubular corolla are the hallmark of this shrub.
Henry
Henry's honeysuckle is a semi-evergreen climbing shrub. In good conditions and with support, vines of this species can grow up to 8 m. The leaves are large, dense, oblong-ovate. Flowering begins in mid-summer.
Henry is grown with shelter for the winter
The flowers are small, yellow-red in color. The fruits are black shiny berries.
Hekrota
Honeysuckle Hekrota is a climbing shrub with vines up to 6 m. The leaves are large, opposite, elongated, pointed, bright green with a bluish tint. This species blooms from June to September.
Large inflorescences of Hekrota are very impressive
The flowers of this type of decorative honeysuckle are large, up to 4 cm, with a tubular corolla, red or purple on the outside, yellow-orange on the inside. Flowers grow in groups, in racemose inflorescences of 20-30 pieces.
Telman
Thälmann's honeysuckle is an evergreen climbing shrub up to 6 m long, with oblong leaves, often fused at the top of the shoots. Flowering of this species begins in June and lasts about 2 weeks.
Thälmann's honeysuckle is distinguished by its friendly and abundant flowering
The flowers of this decorative honeysuckle are large, yellow-orange, collected in inflorescence-whorls at the ends of the shoots. Flowering is friendly, very abundant.
Decorative honeysuckle in landscape design
In landscape design, decorative honeysuckle can be used for a variety of purposes. Its main purpose is borders, hedges, mixborders.Bush varieties are planted individually and in groups, combining them with each other, as well as with coniferous plants.
A solid wall of blooming honeysuckle will decorate any garden
Climbing species are used as entwining plants to decorate vertical areas, walls, fences, various arched structures and other architectural elements of the garden.
Winter hardiness of decorative honeysuckle
Most types of decorative honeysuckle have good frost resistance and can be grown without shelter for the winter. Shrub species are especially well adapted to frost. Climbing decorative honeysuckle does not tolerate severe frosts well, so it is grown without shelter only in the southern regions. In the northern regions, vines can freeze, so for the winter they are removed from their support and covered.
Planting and caring for decorative honeysuckle
Decorative honeysuckle is one of the most unpretentious garden plants. It grows well in almost all climatic zones, does not require care, and rarely gets sick. The agricultural technology for growing this shrub is not complicated, which is why it is loved by both landscape design professionals and beginners.
Selection and preparation of a landing site
The planting site for decorative honeysuckle is most often chosen for purely practical purposes, based on the direct purpose of these perennial shrubs. Therefore, bushes are usually planted not where it would be best for them, but where the gardener or landscape designer needs it. Honeysuckle takes this rather calmly, however, in order for the shrub to feel good, it is better to adhere to the following recommendations when choosing a place to plant it:
- The place should be well lit or in partial shade; it is better if the area is protected on the north side.
- The soil is preferably loose and breathable, fertile, with a neutral acidity level.
- The groundwater level is not higher than 1 m. Honeysuckle should not be planted in flooded areas or in places where water stagnates after rains or melting snow.
The planting site must be dug up in advance.
Before planting, it is better to dig up the area in advance, while simultaneously introducing rotted manure. If the soil is poor, then it is advisable to add complex potassium-phosphorus fertilizer. Excessive soil acidity can be reduced by adding lime or dolomite flour.
Landing rules
The algorithm for planting a decorative honeysuckle seedling is quite simple:
- Prepare a planting hole into which a ball of earth from a container with a seedling is guaranteed to be placed.
- The soil removed from the hole is mixed with humus and peat; if the soil is clayey, sand can be added. Additionally, potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is applied, it is also advisable to add a little wood ash.
- A drainage layer of small pebbles, pebbles or crushed stone is placed at the bottom of the planting pit.
- The seedling is removed from the container and placed in the center of the planting hole. In this case, the root collar of the plant should remain flush with the soil surface. If necessary, soil can be poured into the hole.
- The pit is gradually completely filled with soil with periodic compaction.
After planting, the root zone is mulched to retain moisture in the soil.
After planting is completed, the seedling is intensively watered, and its root zone is mulched with peat or humus.
Watering and fertilizing
Many varieties of decorative honeysuckle are sensitive to lack of moisture, so watering should be regular, especially in hot weather. At this time, you need to water the bushes daily, pouring at least 10 liters of water under each plant. In cloudy weather, the frequency of watering should be reduced. Decorative honeysuckle responds well to sprinkling, but this procedure must be carried out in the evening.
The plant loves regular watering
During the first 2-3 years after planting, the shrub is not fed. For this period, the plant needs enough fertilizers that were applied during planting. Subsequently, decorative honeysuckle is fed every season according to the following scheme:
- Early spring - urea or nitroammophoska, granular fertilizer is scattered in the tree trunk circle. Nitrogen stimulates the growth of green mass and promotes shoot growth.
- Summer, the end of flowering - organic matter, humus or rotted manure is introduced into the root zone.
- Autumn, after the fruits ripen - potassium and phosphorus fertilizers to prepare for winter and lay flower buds.
How to form decorative honeysuckle
Bush decorative honeysuckle is practically not pruned in the first years, allowing the bush to grow and gain density. Only broken and dried branches are cut out. Then the bushes are formed depending on their purpose, periodically pruning shoots that go beyond the dimensions. Old bushes need rejuvenation from time to time; for this purpose, some of the older shoots are removed, replacing them with young ones.
Dried shoots must be cut out
Curly decorative honeysuckle is formed according to a similar pattern.For several years after planting the vines, the plants are not pruned; this continues until the vines reach the required length. Only damaged and dry shoots are removed. Subsequently, the vines are spread along the supports, cutting off the excess lashes. Periodically, old shoots are cut out and replaced with younger ones.
Covering decorative honeysuckle for the winter
Adult bushes of decorative honeysuckle do not need shelter for the winter, but young seedlings may suffer, especially during the first wintering. To preserve them, the bushes are covered with a layer of fallen leaves and spruce branches. Climbing and creeping varieties, as a rule, tolerate frosts less well, so for the winter they are removed from their supports, laid on the ground or on a bed of fallen leaves and covered with straw or spruce branches, and then additionally covered with snow. If the winter is mild and there are no severe frosts in the region, then it is enough to simply insulate the root zone with a thick layer of peat or humus mulch, additionally covering it with a layer of fallen leaves.
Reproduction
You can independently propagate decorative honeysuckle using both seed and vegetative methods. The seeds are collected in the fall from fully ripened berries, stratified by keeping them in the snow or in the refrigerator for several months, and in early spring they are planted in special mini-greenhouses.
The plant can be propagated by seeds, but this takes a lot of time
Often seeds are planted immediately in open ground, but seedlings appear much later. Up to 2-3 years, seedlings are grown in greenhouse conditions, and then the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place in open ground.
Of the vegetative propagation methods, cuttings are most often used. Decorative honeysuckle can be propagated either from lignified cuttings or from annual green cuttings. They are first rooted in water or in a nutrient substrate, and then planted in greenhouses for growing.
Cuttings root well in water
Overgrown bushes can be divided; this is also one of the methods of propagation. In autumn or spring, the bush is completely dug out of the ground and divided into several parts so that each division contains several shoots with its own root system. They should be immediately planted in a new place.
Diseases and pests
Honeysuckle has excellent immunity to diseases, so for a long time it was believed that it does not get sick at all. However, it is not. Due to various violations in care, various fungal infections can develop on the shrub, such as septoria, brown spot, powdery mildew. These diseases manifest themselves in the form of various spots on leaves and shoots, and areas of rot.
Spots on honeysuckle leaves are a sign of a fungal disease
To prevent fungal diseases, honeysuckle is treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture in early spring. When outbreaks of disease appear during the season, the affected areas of the plant are cut out and burned, and the plantings are sprayed with fungicides.
The most common pest on decorative honeysuckle is aphids, a microscopic sucking insect. Small populations do not pose a danger to it. However, due to the rapid reproduction of aphid colonies, they can very soon reach large sizes. The pest feeds on the sap of young leaves and shoots and poses a real threat in large numbers.
Aphids are a common garden pest.
If insects are found on the leaves, the shrub can be treated with a regular solution of laundry soap and then washed off with a stream of water. If the colony has reached a significant size, then it is better to use special preparations: Inta-Vir, Iskra, Decis, etc.
Conclusion
Ornamental honeysuckle is perhaps one of the most suitable plants for landscaping a personal plot. The variety of varieties, magnificent appearance, combined with low maintenance, unpretentiousness and frost resistance, make this perennial shrub a real find for gardeners in many regions of Russia. Even in unfavorable climates, decorative honeysuckle grows well and does not lose its attractiveness for many years.
